The words reached out to me in many ways then as it did each of the thousands of times since when I sang or heard this song.  It has come to mean something I do not know if it was ever intended when it was written.  To me it is a sharing of the despair, and worry we all feel occasionally.  Making us all fall victims of depression, lost, lonely and seeking the comfort that will ease us through this stage we find ourselves.

I share the words of this song with you:

"When you walk through a storm hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark.  At the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark.  Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain, tho' your dreams be tossed and blown.  Walk on, walk on with hope in your heart and you'll never walk alone, you'll never, walk alone. "

Too often in life, I feel we are afraid to admit to others or ourselves the toll that life takes on us. Some withdraw into shells and the pain, fear and sorrow encompasses them.  To some it is a sign of weakness, for others it is cause to immediately spout forth all the cliches about doors opening and closing, clouds with silver linings, and the only direction left being up.  Well meaning words that I have chosen to never use again.  What these words really are saying is I know you are in pain, I have no answers for you but I care that you are suffering and wish it otherwise.   I choose to listen and offer whatever advice or assistance I can and put my compassion into an active mode.

I am honest with myself and others that I often find life knocking the feet out from underneath me.  Many times like a warrior in battle, wounded and tired I have drug myself back to the field of conflict that I sometimes call life.   Each time a bit slower to my feet. 

We live in an age where it is becoming harder to maintain the status quo, in fact for a large majority the goals have been lowered to that of the basics of merely finding a means of survival.

It is time to step back and stop the insanity that has overtaken our societies.  Extending a hand where it is needed and where we can.  You might find your body at the end of the hand reaching out for assistance one day and hoping that someone cares enough to show you some measure of kindness.

There are many reasons for the dark side shadowing one's face and we might not have the solution as individuals. There is however, much that can be done with the strength of the army of mankind taking care of one another.  One simple act of kindness to your fellow man and that person does not walk alone.

                         Cheryl C. Helynck

                                     1998